Thread processing reel having liquid applying and liquid removing means



Jan. 20, 1953 A, KULJIAN 2,625,811

THREAD PROCESSING REEL HAVING LIQUID APPLYING AND LIQUID REMOVING MEANSFiled Jan. 28, 1949 2 SHEETS SHEET l A] I 4. 4 I 1 50 :4

. 7/ a m Q p2 F1715.

IN VEN TOR. liar/y ,4; L//id/Y Jan. 20, 1953 H. A. KULJIAN 2,625,811

THREAD PROCESSING REEL HAVING LIQUID APPLYING AND LIQUID REMOVING MEANS2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1949 9 5 a La v Fio a INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES i TENT OFFICE THREAD PROCESSINGREEL HAVING LIQ- UID APPLYING AND LIQUID REMOVING MEANS ApplicationJanuary 28, 1949, Serial No. 73,285

8 Claims.

My invention relates to an apparatus which can be used for continuousmanufacture of synthetic thread or for continuous processing ofsynthetic or non-synthetic thread.

One object of the invention is to produce an improved apparatus of thetype set forth.

Apparatus of the type referred to includes a thread advancing device andmeans for applying water and different chemicals in liquid form tovarious portions of a thread as the thread advances helicallylongitudinally of the thread advancing device. The thread advancingdevice includes a plurality of skewed rolls and the water and otherliquids are applied to the thread as it moves over one of said rolls.

In the interest of efiicient regeneration or processing of the thread,it is desirable that the a claimed for use over again.

It is therefore a further object of my invention to produce improvedmeans for preventing intermingling of the various liquids and forremoving said liquids separately and in the highest possibleconcentrations.

These and other advantages are attained by my invention as set forth inthe following specification and is shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an apparatusembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a left hand end elevational view of the apparatus shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged view, partly in section and partly inelevation showing certain details of construction.

Figs. 5 and 6 are elevational views of the right and left hand wiperswhich are shown in Fig. 3 and which embody my invention.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 shows how the wipers are adjusted.

Fig. 9 shows a modified form of wiper.

The apparatus illustrated includes a plurality of rolls RI, R2, R3, R4,R5, R6, R1 and R8 which are preferably hollow and which are preferablyformed of glass, .ceramic or other corrosion resisting material. Theends of the rolls are journalled in end plates l0 and 12 which arecarried by a center post [4 which is supported by suitable pedestals [6.The rolls Rl to R8 are rotated about their respective axes by gears l8,driven by la motor or other source of power, not shown, and have theiraxes skewed with respect to the axis of the post M or other commoncentral axis, so that a thread 20 wound about the right hand end of thethread advancing device, as viewed in Fig. 1, will move, in the form ofhelix circumscribing all of the rolls, toward the left hand end of thedevice.

As the thread moves longitudinally of the thread-advancing device, it issubjected to water and treatment by various liquids which are sup--plied by a plurality of spaced nozzles or valves 25, 2E, 21, 28, 29 and39, to corresponding spaced zones on the roll R8. "The different liquidsare supplied, from sources not shown, to conduits or channels 3i, 32,33, 34, 35 and 35 which lead, respectively to the nozzles or valves 25to See Figs. 1 and 3.

In the case of the manufacture of synthetic thread, the desired solutionis extruded from a spinnerette 38 into a coagulating bath 4!} and thefreshly formed filament 29- is passed over one or more godet wheels d2before it is wound about the right hand end of the thread advancingdevice. If an already manufactured thread or filament is to beprocessed, it is fed onto the thread advancing device, from a source ofsupply not shown.

The structure of the thread advancing device and the manner in which thetreating liquids are applied do not form part of the present inventionand are therefore not described in detail.

The valves 25 to 38 deliver various liquids such as water, acids,alkali, soap or other washes, etc. to the spaced zones 44, 45, 45, M, 28and 39 therebeneath which zones have, for convenience, been marked offby broken lines 55 in Fig. 1. By this means as the thread passes throughthe successive zones, it will be subjected to the action of the variousliquids constantly supplied to said zones by the valves 25-3!l.

Of necessity, the liquids are supplied to said zones in greaterquantities than the thread can absorb or carry, and such excess liquidstend to be thrown off by centrifugal force and tend to creep along theroll so that the liquid supplied to one zone will dilute or contaminatethe liquid supplied to adjacent zones. This is obviously undesirable.

According to my invention, I provide for minimizing the intermingling ofthe liquids, for removing excess liquids to minimize the tendency ofsaid liquids to be thrown ed by centrifugal force, and for collectingthe various liquids thus removed separately so that such liquids may bereconcentrated and used over again.

To this end, I provide a wiper 58 adapted to act on roll R8 and a wiper52 adapted to act on the roll RI. These wipers are made of rubber, feltor any other flexible, resilient material which acts as a squeegee so asto effect a wiping action on the adjacent surfaces of the rolls. It willbe noted the wipers 58 and 52 act on the inner surfaces of the rolls R8and RI, respectively, and that they do not touch the thread itself.While only one wiper 50 and one wiper 52 are shown, it is to beunderstood that additional wipers of either type can be associated withsome of the other rolls. 7

As best seen from Fig. 6, the free, or effective edge of the wiper 50 isso cut out as to form spaced tongues 54 which are adapted to effect awiping action on corresponding spaced portions of the roll R8, andrecessed portions 55 therebetween which do not come in contact with theroll. The tongues 54 are so spaced as to act upon the surface of theroll R8 at the points designated by the broken lines 56 or on eitherside of the points at which the liquids are discharged from the valves.

By removing excess liquids at, or near, the limits of the zones, thewiping action of the tongues 54 serves to reduce the total amount ofliquid in each zone and, hence, the tendency of various liquids to flowfrom one zone to an adjacent zone and this prevents or reducescontamination or dilution of the liquid supplied to one zone by theliquids supplied to adjacent zones. Also, reducing the amount of liquidlessens the tendency of such liquids to be thrown off by centrifugalforce.

The wiper 52 may have a continuous Wiping edge or its edge may beprovided with notches 58 corresponding to the centers of the zones 4449and to the centers of the recessed portions 55 of the wiper 59. SeeFigs. and 6. The wiper 52 is intended to complete removal of excessliquids and the notches 58 are intended to leave some liquid in thecenter of each zone so as to insure satisfactory regeneration orprocessing of the thread. In other words, in order to make sure ofthorough initial saturation of the thread in each zone, the excessliquids are at first removed only by the tongues 54 and only from areasintermediate the various zones, and all of the excess liquid over andabove that which is carried by the thread is removed by the continuousedge of wiper 50 except for the small amounts which remain on the rollswhen the edge of the wiper 50 is provided with the notches 58. When thenotches 58 are present, the liquids left on areas corresponding to thecenters of the various zones will spread out and be absorbed or carriedby the thread as it moves axially of the thread advancing device andfrom roll R8 to roll RI and around the other rolls back to roll RI.

It is thus clear that the wipers 58 and 52 by removing some of theliquids, serve to minimize the tendency of the liquids to be thrown offby centrifugal force; that the tongues 54 on the Wiper 50 tend toprevent or reduce intermingling of the liquids on roll R8; and that thenotches 58 on the edge of wiper 52 insure that some liquid will remainin each zone on roll RI.

In order to segregatethe various liquids removed from rolls R8 and RI, atrough is placed below these rolls and partitions are provided in saidtrough to define separate compartments for receiving the variousliquids. As best shown in Figs. 3 and '7, the trough includes a bottom59 and inclined sides 68 having splash guards GI. Partitions 62 extendtransversely of the trough so as to define as many compartments as thereare zones. Each compartment is provided with a drain hole 64 which leadsto a disposal outlet 55 leading to reclamation or storage facilities notshown.

The liquids wiped off by the wipers 50 and 52 run down the sides of thewipers and are shed by the partitions 62 into the compartments formed bysaid partitions. For example, the liquid supplied to zone 45 on roll R8will be wiped off at the limits of said zone by the correspondingtongues 54 of wiper 58 and will be wiped off roll RI by thecorresponding portion of wiper 52 and this liquid will be shed by thejuxtaposed walls A and B of adjacent partitions into the compartmentdefined by said walls.

If desired the tongues 58 of wiper 56 may be tapered as shown in Fig. 9so as to provide inclined liquid shedding surfaces 68.

As best shown in Fig. 3, each of the wipers 58 and 52 is mounted in alongitudinal slot formed in a rod or shaft IO which seats in registeringnotches formed in the partitions 62. The shafts I0 are detachablymounted and may be pulled out by removing nut 'II and bushing I2. SeeFig. 4. By this means, the wipers may be replaced without dismantlingany other parts of the apparatus.

The wipers 50 and 52 are adjustable so as to vary the pressure withwhich these wipers contact the rolls R8 and RI. To that end any suitablemeans may be used and in Fig. 8 I have shown one form of adjusting meanswhich includes a rocker arm 14 carried by one or by both ends of theshafts I0, a spring I5 for biasing the wiper against the roll and anadjustment screw 76 for varying the pressure exerted on the rocker armand hence the contact pressure of the wiper against the roll.

By the arrangement described, large quantitles of the treating liquidsare collected separately and in relatively high concentrations, thetendency of liquids to be thrown off by centrifugal force is reduced byreducing the amount of liquid on the rolls and enough liquid is leftproperly to treat the thread. Also, the adjustability of the wiperspermits of accurate control of the thickness of the film remaining onthe rolls and the detachable mounting of the wipers permits easy andrapid replacement of the wipers.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for manufacturing or for processing thread, said apparatusincluding at least a first elongated roll and a second elongated rolldisposed side by side with the thread passing over both of said rollssuccessively, means for rotating said rolls, valve means for supplyingvarious liquids to longitudinally spaced zones of said first roll, aplurality of wipers for wiping longitudinally spaced, relatively narrowareas on the adjacent surface of said first roll, said areas beinglocated between said zones, and an elongated wiper having its edge incontact with an adjacent portion of said second roll.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 together with means for holding saidwipers against said rolls with a predetermined pressure to predeterminethe amount of liquid left on said rolls.

3. The structure recited in claim 2 in which said last mentioned meansexerts a constant predetermined following pressure against said wiperswhereby said wipers continue to act on said rolls with the same pressureregardless of wear on the part of the rolls or on the part of thewipers.

4. The structure recited in claim 2 in which said last mentioned meansincludes springs, means for adjusting the tension of the springs andmeans for transmitting the action of the springs to said Wipers,respectively.

5. Apparatus for manufacturing or for processing thread including atleast a first elongated roll and a second elongated roll disposed sideby side with the thread passing, successively, over predeterminedsurface areas of both of said rolls, means for rotating said rolls,means for applying various liquids to predetermined zones on said firstroll, and wiping means for minimizing intermingling of said variousliquids, said wiping means including an elongated element disposedadjacent the lower portion of said first roll, and a plurality oftongues projecting from an edge of said element and contacting portionsof the surface of said first roll between said zones.

6. The structure recited in claim 5 in which said tongues are offlexible, resilient material.

7. The structure recited in claim 5 in which the tongues taper in thedirection of the roll.

8. Apparatus for manufacturing or for processing thread including atleast a first elongated roll and a second elongated roll disposed sideby side with the thread passing, successively, over predeterminedsurface areas of both of said rolls. means for rotating said rolls,means for supplying various liquids to predetermined zones on said firstroll, and an elongated, flexible, resilient element with its edgecontacting the surface of said second roll, there being notches formedin the edge of said element in registration with the central portions ofsaid zones.

HARRY A. KULJIAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

